Coin-actuated powder dispenser



Oct. M, 1966 J. WOROBLE 3,277,989

COIN-ACTUATED POWDER DISPENSER Filed May 5, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l A'FTQRNEY 1966 I J. WOROBLE 3,277,989

COINHXCTUATED POWDER DISPENSER Filed May 5, 1965 5 Sheets$heet 2 FIG.5

INVENTOR. JOSEPH WOROBLE ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1966 J. WOROBLE 3,277,989

COIN-ACTUATED POWDER DISPENSER Filed May 5, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOSEPH WOROBLE United States Patent 3,277,989 COIN-ACTUATED POWDER DISPENSER Joseph Woroble, Kearny, NJ. (55 Morgan Place, North Arlington, NJ. 07032) Filed May 5, 1965, Ser. No. 453,257 6 Claims. (Cl. 194-32) This invention deals with a dispenser for powders, such as powdered detergents, powdered soap, and the like. More specifically, it relates to a powder dispenser which is actuated by a coin used to purchase a measured amount of the powder.

The dispensing of soap or detergent in Wash rooms and lavatories has presented a problem to business institutions and public buildings. Containers have been installed filled with liquid soap or detergent, which is dispensed by pushing a plunger or overturning the container mounted on a swivel. However, these become empty quite rapidly and the constant refilling in busy establishments having highly paid labor is not very effective, and more and more of such containers are found empty by users thereof. Bars of soap also are still being used, but they are unsanitary and subject to theft. Powdered soap or detergent is a more effective and more efiicient material because it is more concentrated than the liquid and thus requires replenishment less often.

There has been a need for a solution to the refilling problem, even of powdered products of this type. An ideal situation is the installation of a coin dispenser by a servicing organization which would be paid for the service by profit from the collected coins. Detergents are aptly fitted for such servicing because the small quantity of soap required to wash ones hands could be dispensed at a profit for one or two cents. At such a cost, there would be little incentive to employ slugs, or even to break open the coin container. However, no satisfactory dispenser has been developed for such a purpose.

According to the present invention, a coin-actuated powder dispenser is provided which will answer the aforesaid needs, and which can be readily constructed at low cost. Furthermore, such a unit is relatively trouble-free and requires very little space for mounting. In this unit, the weight of the coin or coins on the receiving tray or pan releases a rack bar which may be pushed by a plunger to rotate vanes in a measuring chamber which is fed powder from a supply container. Means is provided for locking the rack to the tray after each dispensing operation.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment is described, and in which FIGURE 1 presents a top or plan view of a preferred powder dispensing unit with its powder supply pipe cut away. FIG- URE 2 depicts a bottom view thereof, while FIGURE 3 shows a front elevational view thereof, and FIGURE 4 a rear elevational view thereof. FIGURE 5 illustrates a side view thereof, with the powder feed pipe and the measuring and dispensing chamber partly cut away, and FIGURE 6 presents the other side thereof. FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 are cut-away side views of portions of the rack and coin-receiving tray in idle, coin-actuating, and locked positions, respectively. FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the powder measuring and dispensing chamber taken along the plane of line 10-10 in FIGURE 4, while FIGURES 11 and 12 depict top and bottom views, on an enlarged scale, respectively, of the bottom portion of the dispensing shaft carrying the measuring vanes. FIGURE 13 shows a fragmental cross-sectional plan view taken along the plane of line 1313 in FIGURE 5, while FIGURE 14 depicts a partial cross- 1 i sectional side view of another modification of a measuring chamber. The same numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Referring again to the drawings, numeral 15 represents a fiat mounting base, preferably of metal, on which is mounted the entire assembly. Mounted on base 15, near one side thereof, by means of a screw under the base, is vertical post 16. Another longer vertical post 17 is similarly mounted in spaced relation on base 15. Attached to base 15, by screws 18 is a channel, serving as the coin chute, with the open portion of the channel facing the space between posts 16 and 17. Sides 20 of the channel are disposed in tight relation against the posts. The connecting channel member 21 has its lower portion cut out at 22 to provide for access and movement within the channel of coin-receiving tray 23, the latter having at least its rear portion provided with upwardly curved sides to more adequately hold a coin or coins deposited thereon from a coin slot (not shown) in the dispensing machine.

A vertical post 24 is mounted, in a manner similar to the other posts, in front of and centrally with respect to opening 22 in the channel member 21. Tray 23 is provided with a forwardly-directed arm 25, on the end of which is movably-attached, a counter-balancing weight 26, which weight may be shifted along the length of arm 25 by loosening screw 27 in slot 88. Tray 23 and its arm 25 are mounted on pivot 28 on post 24, in a manner so that they may teeter on the pivot. Lock screw 29 is provided on base 15 directly under arm .25 to serve as an adjustable stop or look for arm 25.

Attached to the opposite sides of posts 16 and 17 at its sides 26, by screws 27, is another channel member 128. Its bottom rests flush with base 15, and it serves to insure that coins sliding otf tray 23 will fall into opening 29 in base 15, which opening is the entrance for coins going into coin storage bin 30.

A portion of the front sides of'posts 16 and 17 is cut away at 31 and 32 to serve as slide grooves for push rod 33, which latter traverses over tray 23. Plate covers 33 and 34 are screwed on over the sides of rods 16 and 17, respectively, by screws 35 and 36, respectively. These covers extend partly over rod 33 and prevent dislodgement thereof from the slots. A portion of channel side 20 is also cut out at 37 to permit passage therethrough of swivel pin 38 attached to rod 33. Rod 33, which terminates with push knob 59, is cut out to form a shoulder stop or notch 39 which serves as a stop for rod 33 (against tray 23) when in idle position. A spring 40"has its ends mounted under tension, one end at screw 41 on rod 33, and the other end at screw 42 on top of post 17.

Attached to, and serving as an extension of rod 33, is rack 43. Rack 43 may be attached to rod 33 by means of a flexible coupling or connection, such as a hinge or pivot screw 85, or any other suitable device, to insure alignment of said rack with its coacting gear 50. Posts 44 and 45 are mounted vertically on the other end of base 15 in a manner similar to that of the other posts. A horizontal cross arm 46 is affixed to the top of posts 44 and 45 by means of screws 47 and 48, respectively. Disposed in a groove 49 in crossarm 46 is pinion gear 50, which meshes with rack 43, and is turned thereby. Shaft 51, aflixed to gear 50 passes downwardly through cross bar 46, through base 15, and into powder feed pipe 52. Plate 53, which is held by screw 47, prevents vertical dislodgement of gear 50.

A sleeve 54 is attached to shaft 51 by set screw 55, and it carries horizontally protruding stop 56 which stops movement of the shaft 51 at stop pins 57 and 58, the latter being mounted, in protruding relation, in base 15. Thus, it is apparent that shaft 51 can only travel a dis-,

3 tance, back and forth, for an arc of 90, as it is stopped by pins 57 and 58.

The lower portion of shaft 51 in powder feed pipe 52, projects out of said pipe and terminates with parallel meas uring radial vanes 60 and 61 which fit into powder measuring chamber 62. The latter chamber is split in half vertically for molding purposes, to form half portions 62' and 62" at split 63, and, when assembled it fits into the bottom of pipe 52, and is held therein by set screws 64.

Projecting radially out of the inner side of chamber half 62' is one half 65' of an upper vane 65, and, projecting radially, out of the other chamber half 62" is the other half 65" of upper vane 65, both of which vane halves abut, when the chamber halves are assembled, to form one powder-holding vane. A central hole 66 is provided for rotation therein of shaft 51. Also, exit cut-outs 67 and 68 are made to permit passage therethrough of powder, when permitted by the adjoining shaft vane 60. The latter (which is attached to shaft 51) is also provided with exit cut-outs 69 and 70, identical with cut-outs 67 and 68.

Lower vane 71, attached to the wall of chamber 62, is split and identical with upper vane 65, and it has exit cut-outs 72 and 73 (FIG. 2) which are in juxtaposition with cut outs 67 and 68. As can be seen from FIG. 12, the exit cut-outs 74 and 75 on lower vane 61 of shaft 51 are disposed a radial distance of 90 from those of upper vane 60. Vane 60 of the shaft is disposed immediately adjacent to and below vane 65 of the chamber. Vane 61 of the shaft is disposed immediately adjacent to and above vane 71 of the chamber. The space 76 between the two vane pairs is designed to contain one dispensing shot of powdered product. It will be noted that the lower vane 61 of the shaft is provided with an outwardly slanting surface to facilitate emptying of all of the contents of the chamber. As is apparent from the aforesaid, the vanes and their exit cut-outs are positioned so that when shaft 51 is turned for a distance of 90, the two cut-out openings on vane 65 and vane 60 are in juxtaposition, whereas those on lower vane 71 are covered by the uncut-out portion of vane 61. In this case, powder will flow from pipe 52 through cut-outs 67 and 69, and 68 and 70, and fill the measuring chamber space 76. Then, when shaft 51 is turned back 90", the cut-outs 67-69 of vane 65 are closed by the uncut-out portion of vane 60, while the cutouts 72 and 73 of vane 71 are in juxtaposition with the cut-outs 74 and 75 in vane 61, resulting in the discharge (or dispensing) of the powder from chamber 62, or space 76. FIG. 14 shows a measuring chamber similar to the one depicted in FIGS. 5, 10, 11 and 12, but with the chamber portion 62 made in one piece. Upper vane 65 is removable from the chamber, and may be locked thereto by r a set screw in threaded hole 90 in the side of chamber 62.

Vertically-directed stirrer plates 95 and 96 are connected to shaft 51 via cross bar 97 and to the top of vane 65 to serve as stirring means and prevent caking of powder prior to feeding into measuring chamber 62.

The dispenser of the present invention is operated as follows:

A coin 77 (FIG. 7) is dropped via chute and channel 21, onto balanced coin receiving tray 23. The weight of the coin causes the tray to tilt downwardly, whereupon the coin passes under swivel pin 38, through opening 29 in base 15, and into coin box 30. As tray 23 returns to its original position, swivel pin 38 has dropped from its sidewise idle position to a vertical position and prevents .any further rise of tray 23. When the tray is in this position, notch 39 is clear of the tray edge, thereby permitting rod 33 to move inwardly. Then, the operator pushes knob 59 which causes push rod 33 and rack 43 to move inwardly, the rack turning gear 50 and shaft 51 for a distance of 90 as set by stops 57 and 58. It shall be assumed that measuring chamber 76 already is filled with powder.

This turning of the shaft turns vane 60 to the closed position and vane 61 to the open position, whereupon measuring chamber 76 is emptied or dispensed. Then knob 59 is released, spring 40 returns push rod 33 and rack 43 to their original idle positions, and shaft 51 is turned so that vane 60 now is in open position, and vane 61 is turned to the closed position, so that chamber 76 is filled, ready for the next dispensing operation.

When rod 33 is pulled back, swivel pin 38 contacts the edge of tray 23, and is moved sidewise to idle position as in FIG. 7. The side of tray 23 may be provided with a small cut-out portion 78 to facilitate bringing back swivel pin 38 into proper position. It is also to be undestood that weight 26 could be moved to adjust for the size or number of coins required to actuate tray 23. Also, if no coins are to be used, screw 29 can be turned to force arm 25 upwardly to where tray 23 is moved out of engagement with notch 39 on push rod 33, in which case dispensing can be effected without insertion of any coins into the machine. A supply of powder may be fed to pipe 52 from a large container via pipe 80.

In order to avoid wasting any dispensed powder, a catching tray 102 (FIGURE 5) may be provided to catch the powder. Arms 101 attached to the sides of the tray may be pivoted at 103 to the measuring chamber (or to any other part of the dispensing machine). The powder may be caught in the hand by swinging the tray 102 backward or forward so as to discharge its contents.

I claim:

1. A coin-actuated powder dispenser, comprising, in combination,

a flat base having an opening therein,

a vertical enclosure having sides and mounted on top of said base around said opening and designed to serve as a passageway for coins falling from a coin slot, and having entry means in the lower portion of its forward side to permit entry therein of a coinreceiving tray,

2. post mounted on said base in front of said enclosure,

a vertically-movable coin-receiving tray pivotally mounted on said post and projecting rearwardly into a portion of said enclosure ahead of said opening,

an arm extension projecting forwardly from said tray,

a counterbalancing weight movably attached to the free end of said arm in a manner and such that when a required coin weight is deposited on said tray, said tray will be depressed on said pivot from its idle position to a position adequate to unload said coin weight into said opening and, upon unloading, said tray will be raised by said weight,

a push rod having a dispensing end and a push end and slidably mounted through and across said enclosure above said tray, and designed to be pushed from idle to dispensing position when powder is to be dispensed,

spring return means for returning said push rod from dispensing to idle post'ion,

a rack attached to the dispensing end of said rod and serving as an extension thereof,

a pinion gear mounted above and in substantially parallel relation to said base and in coacting position with said rack,

a powder reservoir disposed under said base under said gear, and having a downwardly-directed outlet,

a shaft connected to and passing axially through said gear and passing through and under said base and into said reservoir,

a powder measuring chamber disposed at the lower end of said shaft within the reservoir outlet and designed to be successively filled with powder upon rotation of said shaft and to discharge a measured amount of powder upon counter-rotation of said shaft,

stop means disposed on said rod and designed to stop against said tray when the latter is in idle position and thus prevent said rod from being pushed into dis pensing position,

a swivel arm attached at its one end to said rod ahead of said stop means and above said tray and designed.

to swivel vertically in the direction of the rod movement with its free end disposed downwardly, in a manner such that when the rod is in stopped position said swivel arm rests sidewise on said tray, and when a coin weight is dropped on said tray and said tray is depressed, said swivel arm will drop to a vertical position and serve as a stop for said tray on its return after coin discharge, whereby said tray is prevented to engage said stop means, thereby enabling said rod to be pushed to dispense powder from said measuring chamber, and on return of said rod, said swivel arm will again rest sidewise on said tray in idle position.

2. A coin-actuated powder dispenser, according to claim 1, in which stirring plates are attached to said shaft in said powder reservoir just ahead of said measuring chamber to stir a powder contained in said reservoir.

3. A coin-actuated powder dispenser, according to claim 1, in which said powder measuring chamber comprises,

a tube having a side wall,

an upper and a lower vane spaced diametrically across said tube, each vane having at least one powder discharge opening in alignment with that of the other vane,

a radially-projecting vane disposed on said shaft immediately under said upper vane of said tube, and having at least one discharge opening, and

a radially-projecting vane disposed on said shaft immediately over said lower Vane of said tube, and having at least one discharge opening arranged at 90 with respect to the opening in the other shaft vane, in

an manner such that when the shaft is rotated so that the upper vane pair have their openings in alignment, the openings in the lower vane pair will be out of alignment, so that no free opening is present, whereby powder is able to flow into said chamber and fill it, and ,when the shaft is counter-rotated, the openings in the upper vane pair are out of alignment so that no free opening is present, and the openings in the lower vane pair come in alignment, whereby a measured quantity of powder is dispenser from said chamber. 4. A coin-actuated powder dispenser, according to claim 2, in which the top surface of the lower vane on said shaft is tapered so as to facilitate complete discharge of powder from said chamber.

5. A coin-actuated powder dispenser, according to claim 1, in which the stop means comprises a notch shoulder on said rod which is designed to abut the edge of said tray when the latter is in idle position.

6. A coin-actuated powder dispenser, according to claim 1 in which a swivelable powder catching tray is mounted under said measuring chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COIN-ACTUATED POWDER DISPENSER, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FLAT BASE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A VERTICAL ENCLOSURE HAVING SIDES AND MOUNTED ON TOP OF SAID BASE AROUND SAID OPENING AND DESIGNED TO SERVE AS A PASSAGEWAY FOR COINS FALLING FROM A COIN SLOT, AND HAVING ENTRY MEANS IN THE LOWER PORTION OF ITS FORWARD SIDE TO PERMIT ENTRY THEREIN OF A COINRECEIVING TRAY, A POST MOUNTED ON SAID BASE IN FRONT OF SAID ENCLOSURE, A VERTICALLY-MOVABLE COIN-RECEIVING TRAY PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID POST AND PROJECTING REARWARDLY INTO A PORTION OF SAID ENCLOSURE AHEAD OF SAID OPENING, AN ARM EXTENSION PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM SAID TRAY, A COUNTERBALANCING WEIGHT MOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE FREE END OF SAID ARM IN A MANNER AND SUCH THAT WHEN A REQUIRED COIN WEIGHT IS DEPOSITED ON SAID TRAY, SAID TRAY WILL BE DEPRESSED ON SAID PIVOT FROM ITS IDLE POSITION TO A POSITION ADEQUATE TO UNLOAD SAID COIN WEIGHT INTO SAID OPENING AND, UPON UNLOADING, SAID TRAY WILL BE RAISED BY SAID WEIGHT, A PUSH ROD HAVING A DISPENSING END AND A PUSH END AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED THROUGH AND ACROSS SAID ENCLOSURE ABOVE SAID TRAY, AND DESIGNED TO BE PUSHED FROM IDLE TO DISPENSING POSITION WHEN POWDER IS TO BE DISPENSED, SPRING RETURN MEANS FOR RETURNING SAID PUSH ROD FROM DISPENSING TO IDLE POSITION, A RACK ATTACHED TO THE DISPENSING END OF SAID ROD AND SERVING AS AN EXTENSION THEREOF, A PINION GEAR MOUNTED ABOVE AND IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID BASE AND IN COACTING POSITION WITH SAID RACK, A POWDER RESERVOIR DISPOSED UNDER SAID BASE UNDER SAID GEAR, AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY-DIRECTED OUTLET, A SHAFT CONNECTED TO AND PASSING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID GEAR AND PASSING THROUGH AND UNDER SAID BASE AND INTO SAID RESERVOIR, A POWDER MEASURING CHAMBER DISPOSED AT THE LOWER END OF SAID SHAFT WITHIN THE RESERVOIR OUTLET AND DESIGNED TO BE SUCCESSIVELY FILLED WITH POWDER UPON ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT AND TO DISCHARGE A MEASURED AMOUNT OF POWDER UPON COUNTER-ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT, STOP MEANS DISPOSED ON SAID ROD AND DESIGNED TO STOP AGAINST SAID TRAY WHEN THE LATTER IS IN IDLE POSITION AND THUS PREVENT SAID ROD FROM BEING PUSHED INTO DISPENSING POSITION, A SWIVEL ARM ATTACHED AT ITS ONE END TO SAID ROD AHEAD OF SAID STOP MEANS AND ABOVE SAID TRAY AND DESIGNED TO SWIVEL VERTICALLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ROD MOVEMENT WITH ITS FREE END DISPOSED DOWNWARDLY, IN A MANNER SUCH THAT WHEN THE ROD IS IN STOPPED POSITION SAID SWIVEL ARM RESTS SIDEWISE ON SAID TRAY, AND WHEN A COIN WEIGHT IS DROPPED ON SAID TRAY AND SAID TRAY IS DEPRESSED, SAID SWIVEL ARM WILL DROP TO A VERTICAL POSITION AND SERVE AS A STOP FOR SAID TRAY ON ITS RETURN AFTER COIN DISCHARGE, WHEREBY SAID TRAY IS PREVENTED TO ENGAGE SAID STOP MEANS, THEREBY ENABLING SAID ROD TO BE PUSHED TO DISPENSE POWDER FROM SAID MEASURING CHAMBER, AND ON RETURN OF SAID ROD, SAID SWIVEL ARM WILL AGAIN REST SIDEWISE ON SAID TRAY IN IDLE POSITION. 